FERC: Majority of new generation in 2013 is renewable energy

The majority of new power generation in the U.S. in 2013 is being created by renewable power sources, according to a report from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

According to FERC, 1,880 MW of power came online in 2013 through March 31, with renewable energy accounting for 1,540 MW of that number. The other 340 MW of installed power so far in 2013 came from three units of natural gas.

Wind power provided more than half the new power installed in 2013, with 958 MW of installed capacity. The U.S. also had 537 MW of new solar energy capacity installed so far in 2013, 46 MW of biomass-fired power and 5.4 MW of hydropower. No new coal-fired power generation capacity has been added through March 31 of 2013.

Total new power generation created is down around 2,000 MW from the same time period in 2012, when 3,833 MW of new power was installed through March. Nearly half of that amount was created by wind power as well, though the country also added 1,145 MW of natural gas capacity and 808 MW of coal-fired capacity over that period.

Solar power is the only power generation source that shows an increase from 2012 to 2013 so far, increasing from 264 MW in January through March 2012 and 537 MW over the same time period in 2013.